Cajuns Edge Delaware State, 83-82

Before Monday night's game with Delaware State, the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns recognized former greats Kevin Figaro and Payton Townsend, along with the Cajuns' all time leading scorer, Dwight "Bo" Lamar.

Then the visitors put on a shooting display that was reminiscent of the days when Lamar was firing from long range.

Louisiana survived a three point barrage from the Hornets in taking an 83-82 win before 1,822 at Blackham Coliseum.

Delaware State shot 13-25 from beyond the arc, including 7-11 in the second half as the visitors stayed close despite never leading in the second half.

Frank Bartley IV scored 25 points to lead the Cajuns on 6-11 shooting, 4-8 from three point range.  Bryce Washington added 20 points and a career high 14 rebounds.  Freshman P. J. Hardy added 12, including what proved to be the game winning free throw with seven ticks remaining.  Jay Wright rounded out the four in double figures for the Cajuns with ten points.

Devin Morgan scored 23 points on 5-10 three point shooting, while Deandre Haywood added 20.  Dana Raysor scored 15 points, including four second half three pointers and Kavon Waller chipped in 12.

The Hornets (1-3) scored the first eight points of the game before the Cajuns (2-2) chipped away, finally taking the lead for good, 32-30, on a Wright layup with 3:33 left in the half.  The Cajuns increased the lead to six points, 42-36 at the half.  The Cajuns had an opportunity to have a much larger lead, but Louisiana shot just 6-13 from the free throw line in the first half.  The Cajuns were much better in the second half, shooting 72.7% (16-22).  Louisiana enjoyed a big 35-12 advantage in free throw attempts, outscoring the Hornets by eleven at the line.

"We did a good job down the stretch in the first half and clamped down on them defensively," head coach Bob Marlin said.  "We stressed at the half that we had given them 43 percent from three, and then we gave them 7-11 in the second half."

Louisiana increased the lead to eight points, 48-40, but Haywood scored four straight points and Raysor drained a triple to get the Hornets within a point with 15:26 remaining.  The Cajuns then got a pair of threes of their own, with freshmen Roydell Brown and Hardy both hitting from the bonusphere to get the lead back up to six points.  Delaware State cut the lead to two points on a Devin Morgan three at the 9:50 mark, but Washington scored inside, Hardy drained another three and Bartley hit a pair of freebies to give the Cajuns their biggest lead, 70-61 with 8:33 to play. The lead was again at nine points on after a Bartley trey with 5:49 to go, but the Hornets wouldn't go away. cutting the lead to three points on a pair of Morgan free throws with :31 left.  Bartley hit two more free throws with :20 left to make the score 82-77.  Morgan's layup made it a three point game before Hardy hit one of two free throws to put the game away despite Morgan's 35 footer with one second left.

"We have to do a better job of rebounding," Marlin said, as the Hornets took a 39-27 advantage on the boards.  "Bryce did a great job, but we need to do a better job of team rebounding.  Frank had a great shooting night, but he played 35 minutes and didn't get a rebound.  We have to be better there."

The Cajuns will now head to Virginia to take on James Madison in a game scheduled for 3pm Wednesday afternoon.